A Shrinking Universe
by hightoppsmadness
Summary: Post Blackest Night. The Guardians have seen the importance of guarding the center of the multiverse, so they have made the Sigma Lanterns, two lanterns who guard exclusively earth. But when one falls in love with Atom Ray Palmer, what is to become of it?
1. Wow, that is gross, Guy

A Shrinking Universe

A HightoppsMadness Fanfiction

Author's Note: All characters not invented by HightoppsMadness are the property of DC Comics and their respective creators. All events depicted in the following chapters are fictitious and should not be used in a history report (you will fail the class if you do this). The following story revolves around the Green Lantern Corps and the Justice League's Atom, otherwise known as Dr. Ray Palmer, and takes place after the series 'Blackest Night'. If these characters are not interesting to you, please read a different story. Thank you for reading a HightoppsMadness fanfiction today! ^U^

"Have you found the problem yet?" the radio connection blared in Ray's ear.

"No, I haven't," Ray ground out. Patience was a virtue that Guy Gardener just didn't posses. "Maybe if you gave me more than thirty seconds, I could solve the problem."

"Well, it makes me uneasy when the ring isn't working. There could be some major shit going down and I'd never know it." Guy's voice had an edge to it.

"I'm sure if anything bad were to happen in the next few minutes, Hal and Kyle could handle it, if not just the JLA." Ray bent over to inspect the green surface he was standing on. "Aha. You've let this thing get covered in microorganisms. What have you done while wearing this thing?"

"I'd rather not say. Ice would get mad."

"Eww. So I'm standing on your ring that's covered in-" Ray shook his head. "Wow. That's just gross." He increased his size and jumped off the ring to stand before his red headed acquaintance.

"Sorry, maybe I should've told you before you went in there." Guy rubbed the back of his neck, his green vest shifting as he did so.

"Yeah, you should've. Just go wash your hands and ring in antibacterial soap, then germ-X the shit out of that thing. It should work after that."Ray checked his schedule. "Crap, I've gotta meeting in half an hour, and I feel like I need a shower. I guess on my way there I'll walk through a raindrop or something." Ray waved to his embarrassed colleague. "See you later, Guy. I promise I won't tell Ice. But seriously, take your ring off when you do stuff like that. You can't have that thing busted every other week. And I'm not going in there again."

"Yeah, yeah, go to your fancy meeting." Guy waved him off.

After he washed his hands and disinfected his power ring, it began to glow a brighter green. Guy took it back to his lantern, adorned with the Michigan sticker on the side, and said the Green Lantern's oath.

"In brightest day, In blackest night, No evil will escape my sight. Let all who worship evil's might, Beware my power. Green Lantern's Light!"

Immediately, the ring gave out a report. "New Sigma Lantern is being chosen."

"Sigma Lantern? What in Hell is a Sigma Lantern?" Guy asked the ring.

"A new faction of the Green Lanterns. Sigma Lanterns are assigned to the center of the Multiverse, Earth. Only two may exist at one time, as it is not a sector, but is recognized as an important checkpoint." the ring replied.

"Er, thanks, ring." Guy looked at the green ring on his hand. "I'm sorry about the whole, um, yeah, you know."

"Damage has been repaired, all is forgiven, Honor Lantern." the ring intoned. "Sigma Lantern has been chosen. Welcome to the Green Lanterns, Sara Cambridge of Earth."

/O/

The heat was sweltering in South Africa, the streets filled with people milling about. The colors of their skin was inconsequential, as the sun beat on the light and dark skinned alike. Among them was a woman. She was a statuesque five foot ten, her hair clipped into a loose bun. The strands that escaped were plastered to her head. It was the summer, and the wind had been dry and hot. Sara hated this weather. Her brown eyes scanned the crowd. Her boyfriend Jeremiah was supposed to meet her at the kiosk half an hour ago. He was usually late, though. His job as a small business owner usually left him with little free time.

She wiped her brow, revealing her pale skin to the sun. Sara usually covered herself, as her alabaster skin burned quickly in the light. A curl of cherrywood colored hair escaped the confines of the bun and dangled near her face. A tall, broad man bumped into her. She tried to not take any notice, but he had stuck around.

"Hey," he growled at her, his deep voice sending a subtle vibration through her sternum. "You bumped into me. Apologize."

"I did no such thing, sir. I'm sorry if you're too aggressive to consider yourself the one to run into others." she stated. Her defiance was met with a snarl.

"Bitch!" the man grabbed her. She was not afraid. She never was. Sara had enough bruises to prove that it never ended well, but she was not one to back down. "I'll show you aggressive!"

"Sara!" called a voice from the crowd. It was Jeremiah, coming to help her too little, too late. "Sara, just apologize!" he pacifistic nature wouldn't allow for any pride.

"No, he was the one at fault. I don't fear this man, and I shouldn't." She looked into the large dark man's eyes. She saw fear in them, just as he saw will in hers.

'New Sigma Lantern is being chosen.' a voice called. It was melodious, but inhuman. It didn't frighten Sara, but it did surprise her. No one else seemed to have heard it, but Jeremiah started yelling.

"What is that? It looks like a ring!" he screeched, and the large man dropped Sara. She landed hard on the ground, and people fled from her. She didn't understand. What was the problem that had everyone panicking?

A green ring floated towards her, glowing with an eerie light. Sara was not afraid, but intrigued, almost hypnotized by the sight. It flew towards her.

'Sara Cambridge. You have the ability to overcome great fear. You also have great love within you. Welcome to the Green Lanterns, Sigma Lantern Sara Cambridge of Earth.' It intoned as it flew upon her finger.

/O/


	2. We're all okay, Ray

/O/

Ray was bored. The meeting was just another 'keep up the good work' speech. Nothing had been built upon since the Blackest Night. Ray remembered that night clearly. He had seen his ex-wife at her worst, brought back from the dead. He remembered the feeling when he wielded the Indigo Tribe's ring. It was like no other feeling. It was like the first time he had fought crime as the Atom. Euphoria wrapped in fear and anxiety. The perfect adrenaline rush. He wished he could have that feeling again, minus the world being in danger of Armageddon factor. Perhaps a partner?

No, he could barely handle dealing with his assistant in the lab for hours at a time. Maybe he should start dating again? Again, not the answer. The last two girlfriends he had were dead, crazy before that. He knew he had a bad taste in women. He couldn't deny it.

But doing nothing was killing him! All the time, the JLA took care of all the distress calls, leaving him time to agonize over small details in his lab, like nanotechnology's role in the new world. It was going to be big, that much he knew, but the extent of its uses were endless. Would they be able to use it to its fullest potential? Probably not, but a man could dream.

He daydreamed while staring out the panel windows that surrounded the boardroom. Something green shot past. He figured it was Kyle, John, Guy, or even Hal. But the green streak was too small to be a person. In fact, it was just a ring. Panic welled up inside Ray. The only way a green ring could be given to a person in sector 2814 was if one of them died. He stood up from his seat at the long, expensive glass table.

"I'm sorry, everyone, but I've got some JLA business to attend to." he excused himself. The advantage to having revealed his identity years ago was that no one could question were he was for various times. He was honest about his absences.

He ran into his office and picked up the phone. His fingers were shaking as he dialed Hal's number. The phone rang for a few minutes, then picked up.

"Ray?" Hal's voice asked on the other end of the line. "What's up?"

"Hal! Oh, thank goodness you're alive!" Ray sputtered. "There was this Green Lantern ring that flew by and I had thought- well, it doesn't matter now, does it? Where's John? Is Kyle alright?"

"Woah, woah, Ray, calm down!" Hal tried to soothe his friend over the phone. "Kyle's right here with me, and John's got his hands full with fixing the Golden Gate Bridge right now. Guy's at his apartment, he just called me with some good news."

"Thank God," Ray sank into his leather swivel chair by the claw footed desk. "What's this good news?"

"We've got an influx in new heroes. I mean, the Mimic and Cardinal thing was years ago, and they're already ingrained in the system. But these new guys, like Phoenix and Dragon, and the new Sigma Lanterns that we're getting today-"

"Sigma Lanterns? That explains the ring." Ray sighed in relief. "What do they do?"

"Well, the Sigma Lanterns are basically Green Lanterns assigned to just Earth as the role of Multiverse protectors. Phoenix and her cousin Dragon are basically like Hawk and Dove, with Phoenix as the peace lover and Dragon as the aggressor. They have this ability with fire, though, that's really neat, but that's only when it's not at you. Anyway, we gotta go. The new Sigma Lanterns are supposed to meet us here. And one of them is from South Africa, Ray! How cool is that?" Hal droned on.

"That sounds really cool. Are the JLA going to induct them?"

"Not for a while. We have to take them under our 'ring' for a while." Kyle laughed over the phone. "Get it? Ring! 'Cause we're Green Lanterns who use rings!"

"Hilarious. Are they at least going to meet them?" Ray tried a direct approach.

"Yeah. Well, a few of them. Not the Bat or Supes. I think the only founders that are gonna see them would be Flash and I. Ever since those twins were born, Flash has been so much busier. I guess it's the whole parenting thing, right?" Hal mused.

"Yeah. Kids take a lot of time out of your schedule." Ray answered.

"You ever think about what life would be like with them?" Hal hit him with the question.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do." Ray thought about the plans his ex and he had made years ago, before Elongated Man and his wife had died. "All the time."

/O/


	3. Hi, you must be the Sigma Lantern

/O/

The city of Metropolis was as safe as it could be. With Superman taking care of the big problems and the duo Phoenix and Dragon protecting the suburbs, one would think the little people of the city would be perfectly fine. One would be wrong. When heroes are needed, they are needed for a reason. The crime rates in Metropolis were nothing like Gotham or Blüdhaven, but they were not utopic.

Orion Xeron knew that personally. His back was slick with the cold sweat that slid down his back, soaking his button up oxford shirt, its baby blue becoming dark. His wide blue eyes switched warily from the blade gleaming maliciously to the gang member holding it. He didn't like the feeling of the situation, but that little girl needed his help. He had hoped she had gone to find help. She probably left him for dead. Well, that sucked.

He felt the fear in the back of his spine, in his mind. This man was twice his size, and built like a cat. Orion was not nearly as agile, strong, or fast. But he had immense willpower, and that was what mattered in a fight.

'New Sigma Lantern being chosen.'

Orion turned his attention away from the man to the inhuman voice. It was enough to illicit the man's advance. Orion managed to avoid the blade, when the call returned.

'Orion Xeron of Earth. You have the ability to overcome great fear. You also have great compassion in your heart. Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps, Sigma Lantern Orion Xeron.'

A green ring floated before him, and the sight made the gang member pause.

"Oh, shit. You're one of those weirdos. The ones with the rings. I'm so outta here." the gang member took off, leaving Orion with the strange glowing ring. It stayed before him, and he held his arm out to it.

The ring slid upon his finger, and he felt the power surge through him. For once, he felt scared of his own strength.

/O/

Sara was confused. How could something like this happen to her? Stuff like this only happened in really rare situations, like some kind of lottery of the universe. She was the one who won.

The power she wielded was calling her, and could be very easily abused, and she knew that. But she also knew she was chosen for a noble reason; rings that glow don't just pick some poozer to defend a sector. Poozer... that brought the current situation to mind. She was flat on her back with a large pinkish...being?...looming above her. The lantern chuckled and helped her up.

"You know, Poozer, you've got some of the worst reflexes I've ever seen. You're worse than the other Sigma. But I see some potential." the being laughed again. This was Kilowog, the training officer that she and this young man from Metropolis had started sparring with. The young man was named Orion, not that she cared much, but she knew she had to work with him for a long time, so she made the best of it. If he didn't act so overeager all the time...

"So what's next?" Orion asked excitedly. Sara sighed. He was like a little kid.

""You can't start running if you can't crawl." Kilowog lectured, then turned to them. "We're going to take a break. I'll see you tomorrow here on Oa. Goodnight, Sigma Lanterns. I suggest you stay near Coast City. We know that time zone, so we can locate you quickly."

Sara was about to object, but the green flash of light landed her in some man's office before she could finish.

"– look, Kilowog, or whatever, I don't have a home in Coast City, and– where am I?"

"You're in my office." a man with brown short hair smiled pleasantly at her. "I'm guessing you're the new Sigma Lantern Hal was telling me about. Sara, was it? I'm Dr. Ray Palmer. It's nice to meet you."

"Um.. Hello. Nice to meet you too. Sorry, but I've got to find a place to stay tonight in Coast City, and I'm a little turned around. I'm assuming you know the Green Lantern 2814.1 because...?"

"Oh, right, how silly of me. I'm the Atom. You need a place to stay? I've got a guest room. Would you like to stay there for the night?" Ray offered, and Sara gave a coy smile.

"Thank you, Dr. Palmer. I would, actually."

/O/


End file.
